Letter to James Henry Reid, Sr.

Scope and content:

Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards cadet life, mentioning the cirriculum and the slang term "rat."

Language:

English .

Other descriptive data:

VMI Aug 14, 1862

Dear Pa
I received your letter about two hours ago just after dinner & was very glad to hear from you. I hope you have got me a box large enough to hold my collars hank &, not a writing desk it is rather too small but perhaps I can make it do. The Staff Va buttons I would rather have than the V.M.I. Please send me a dozen.

I have bought a mattress for $7 whereas I would have to pay the quartermaster $14, but it should come out of the money which Gen. Smith holds & I consider I have saved $7. I borrowed it from Thomas Henderson because I did not want to use my small notes. I paid also 75 cts for a chair. Please send me $10. I may want to buy some thing else. I have spent 25 cts since I have been here.

Our studies are math & French. I am in the 8th section, 4th class math; 4th section, 4th class French. We will have more studies after the first of September. Geo., composition & some one or two other things. I will make 13 in French this week & 14 in math. 15 is the highest & none have made 15 since I have been here.

I got 11 demerits the first day, 7 the second, 5 the third, 3 the fourth, 1 the fifth, & none since. I got off from all of them & all say I have got less demerits than any Rat that has come here this year. We get up at 5 to Rev, eat at 7 also at 1, squad drill at 5, dress parade at 6 & supper at 7, Tattoo at 9½, & taps at 10. I have been on guard twice since I have been here.

I like the V.M.I very much & do not dislike the fare. Have fattened about 10 lbs. I have my white uniform & I think it improves me very much. All I want are the buttons. I don't understand you about the vest. I don't want one it will be no use. How do you do in the office with Mr. Jamieson. Please write me. Tell Mac McLean I am going to write to him as soon as I get things straightened up.

I have three very nice room mates. F. Lee, S. Read & T. Henderson, all from Lynchburg, very kind & accomodating fellows. I have heard no news for I don't know how long, not since you left. Don't know where Jackson, Pope or any of our armies are. Please send me a paper with a great deal of news in it, for I want to hear something about military affairs.

Our clothes come in every Wednesday & Saturday evening. Last Wednesday evening they all came in & an old cadet by the name of Exall ordered me to carry his box of clothes up. It was more than I could stand so I pitched in I thrashed him pretty badly. The other cadets did not blame me but he collected some of his friends of the same feather & caught me, at least jumped upon me suddenly Monday night as I was coming off guard with my gun lying carelessly across my shoulder, tied me & hung me over the door until I had no life in me & they had to throw water in my face, bathe my head &c to bring me to. Yesterday I met two of them, the old cadets said they would see fair play so I beat one at a time all to pieces, knocked one's teeth down his throat, at least 2 of them in which I got one eye pretty black. Since then an order has been read out dismissing them for impudence to Major Shipp. None of the Subs found out about the fight though they saw there had been a fight some where. Please write often & long.
Your affectionate son
J. Henry Reid

P.S. Remember me to Mr. & Mrs. Brown & every body else. Tell Mrs. Holcombe Tommy is well & sends his love. Henry.

Subjects:

Virginia Military Institute—Academics—History—19th century
Virginia Military Institute—Cadet life—1860-1869
Virginia Military Institute—Curricula
Virginia Military Institute—Slang
Correspondence

Names:

Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890
Shipp, Scott, 1839-1917
Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890
Shipp, Scott, 1839-1917

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